Video: What Is Social Health? - Definition & Examples

At first glance, social health may be challenging to identify and address, but there are many benefits that come from strengthening your relationships with others. Let's learn more about how to develop and maintain relationships and how social health can be just as important as physical health.2015-05-11

At first glance, social health may be challenging to identify and address, but there are many benefits that come from strengthening your relationships with others. Let's learn more about how to develop and maintain relationships and how social health can be just as important as physical health.

Defining Social Health

Social health involves your ability to form satisfying interpersonal relationships with others. It also relates to your ability to adapt comfortably to different social situations and act appropriately in a variety of settings. Spouses, co-workers and acquaintances can all have healthy relationships with one another. Each of these relationships should include strong communication skills, empathy for others and a sense of accountability. In contrast, traits like being withdrawn, vindictive or selfish can have a negative impact on your social health. Overall, stress can be one of the most significant threats to a healthy relationship. Stress should be managed through proven techniques such as regular physical activity, deep breathing and positive self-talk.

Developing Relationships

To effectively develop relationships and maintain good social health, individuals must be willing to:

Give of themselvesThis could include sacrificing time, effort, energy or money.

Have adequate levels of self-esteemBeing mentally and emotionally secure with oneself can help an individual maintain healthy relationships.

Establish a sense of identitySacrificing personal characteristics often results in less satisfying relationships, while acting like your true self will strengthen social bonds.

All relationships will have some level of emotional involvement, also known as intimacy. Determining how intimate a relationship will become is critical to long-term social health. While acquaintances or co-workers may have very little intimacy, family members and spouses often have intimacy levels high enough to be considered love. Characteristics of a healthy relationship include:

Trust - those involved have faith in each other and will do what is best for the relationship.

Compassion - the physical and emotional well-being of others in the relationship is considered important.

Respect - sacrifices made for the relationship such as time, effort and money are acknowledged and valued.

Acceptance - changing individual characteristics and personality traits is not an expectation.

Reciprocity - the give and take within the relationship is relatively equal.

Challenges in Relationships

Relationships may be compromised for a variety of reasons. A lack of honesty or openness, unrealistic expectations and jealousy are all factors that can push relationships to an unhealthy state. For example, a spouse that expects his or her husband/wife to do the majority of the housework without any display of appreciation may experience a low-quality relationship as a result. Conflict resolution methods that attempt to solve relationship problems such as empathy and negotiation may be needed to help the situation. If attempts to improve the situation fail, an unhealthy relationship may need to end. Being honest, tactful and compassionate is the healthiest way to end a relationship.

The Importance of Communication

One of the best ways to develop and maintain relationships is through effective communication. Both verbal and nonverbal methods of communication should be considered, and skills such as active listening are often necessary. Active listening is a nonverbal skill that involves consistent eye contact, gestures such as head nodding and feedback only when the other person finishes speaking. Gender differences should also be taken into account. While men tend to be more competitive and assertive in conversations, women tend to be more deferential, but also more emotionally supportive.

According to Victor William Harris, assistant professor in the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences at the University of Florida, nine communication skills are important for every relationship:

Don't criticize

Don't become defensive

Don't use contempt

Don't stonewall (or avoid questions)

Do calm down

Do complain (politely)

Do speak non-defensively

Do validate the other person

Do learn and master these skills

Overall, social health has a significant impact on overall well-being. By developing skills such as communication and conflict resolution, individuals can reap the benefits that healthy relationships can provide.

Lesson Summary

Social health involves your ability to form satisfying interpersonal relationships with others. It also relates to your ability to adapt comfortably to different social situations and act appropriately in a variety of settings. Overall, stress can be one of the most significant threats to a healthy relationship. To effectively develop relationships and maintain good social health, individuals must be willing to give of themselves, have adequate levels of self-esteem and establish a sense of identity. All relationships will have some level of emotional involvement, also known as intimacy.

Characteristics of a healthy relationship include trust, compassion, respect, acceptance and reciprocity. Communication is vital to healthy relationships, including active listening, which is a nonverbal skill that involves consistent eye contact, gestures such as head nodding and feedback only when the other person finishes speaking. Things like gender differences should also be taken into account. Nine communication skills outlined by Victor William Harris include:

Summary:

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